Dead Bite
by asterisks-who
Summary: *Warning, kind of a Reichenback spoiler. This is continuing from Reichenback Fall except it's a few months later and Sherlock didn't jump and Moriarty didn't shoot himself. Moriarty wanted Sherlock's attention, intellect, just his everything and sharing wasn't an option. Sherlock did just that. Mainly to get into Moriarty's head and find out why but curiosity got the best of him.


The door swung open and John slightly reacted, but he already knew who it was. It was 8:00 in the morning and Sherlock never returned home last night. With a sigh, he came from the kitchen and parted his lips to speak but paused when he saw _him_ standing in the middle of the room. "...you...why are you here...?" He murmured.

Sherlock waltzed into the room seconds later, tossing his jacket onto the coat rack. "John, I'm glad you're up. We have a case. A big one." He mused, shoving a few papers into the man's arms. It was rare for Sherlock to be excited or even mildly interested in a case. So he was confident that John would like this case or at least be curious about why he liked it himself.

John wasn't listening. He was still stuck on the fact that the man who had strapped a bomb onto him a few months ago was standing a few feet away. "Sherlock?" He said, his voice tinged with confusion.

The pale man paced the room as he explained the cases. "I rejected nearly 30 last night and 40 this morning but this one? This one I want. _I_ want it, John." He repeated with emphasis. He was going on and on about the case and wasn't registering that John was talking.

"SHERLOCK!" John yelled, trying in vain to get the man's attention.

Sherlock paused and stopped by the chair. He glanced over his shoulder at John and raised a brow. "No need to yell, what is it, John?"

"Are we not going to talk about the guy standing in our flat?" He spat. "Are you not going to talk about that he strapped a bomb to me? Are we not going to talk about what he's done?"

"Yes, Moriarty. I brought him. Now, about this case, we have to head to Blackpool by tomorrow morning."

John narrowed his eyes and glanced to Moriarty then back to Sherlock. "Sherlock, can I speak to you in the kitchen for a moment? Alone." He said calmly.

"Why?"

"Just. Go."

Sherlock sighed and nodded, heading into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Moriarty watched in amusement as the two engaged in their banter. He didn't understand the concept of the control John seemed to have over Sherlock but he did understand one thing. He understood that he wanted it. Badly.

John followed Sherlock into the kitchen and stared at him for a moment before speaking. "Of all the things, Sherlock. Of all the things." He said as he leaned against the counter. "Speak." He demanded. John wasn't as much upset as he was confused. Why on earth would Sherlock bring Moriarty to their flat? They were all past the stage of talking. People were killed because of that man.

"About?"

"Sherlock, why is he here?"

"Reasons. More of mine but some of his. He says he wants my attention. That's what this was all about. Or at least the basis of what this was about."

"And your reasons?"

"Well, I want more answers. I'm more than sure this was about me but there just has to be more to it." He knew he was right. When was Sherlock ever wrong? Still, he wanted the satisfaction of hearing it come past Moriarty's lips. "I also want to engage in this situation to know more about him. Give him my attention and whatever else he needs."

John stared blankly at him. "_'Engage in the situation to know him'_...Sherlock..." He sighed and shook his head. "You want to date him..."

Sherlock tilted his head. "I don't want to date him."

John knew Sherlock was socially inept when it came to relationships in general but this was ridiculous. "That's what it sounds like. Do you hear yourself? You want to give him your attention. What else Sherlock?"

"Talk to him; perhaps spend more time with him. Understand him." He said, leaving out a few other things that he and Moriarty discussed the night before.

John sighed. This was too much. "Did you pat him down for- well for everything?"

Sherlock nodded. "Yes." That and other things he didn't care to talk about. Sherlock may not have understood what he wanted exactly from Moriarty. In fact, he didn't understand anything he wanted socially and physically. He more than made up for it with his intellectual standing though but that only made him lack more in one specific field of his functioning. He was doing just fine until Moriarty came into the picture. He had John and things were perfect.

John would deny it but he was somewhat jealous. In a sense, John liked having Sherlock socially awkward and by his side. Seeing him venture out and possibly attach to someone else scared him. It made it worse since that person was none other than Jim Moriarty. What was he to tell Sherlock? That he wanted him to himself and didn't want anyone else near? No, that wasn't John. He cared about Sherlock and he liked to see Sherlock enthusiastic about things. It beat watching him mope around the house and shooting up the walls. With a sigh and glanced up at the man. "Bullocks." He huffed.

Sherlock stepped close to John and looked down at him. "John, I won't let him hurt anyone. I won't let him hurt you." And he meant that. He had been keeping the man close and watching his every move, hence why Jim was in their flat as they spoke.

"Fine just don't get yourself killed. I don't need you on anymore rooftops again." He growled, referring to the almost jump Sherlock contemplated a few months ago. He cared for Sherlock and had told him plenty of times. He wouldn't be able to handle losing him. Too bad it seemed like he was losing him in another way now. "You should go back to him before this place blows up or something…"

Sherlock grinned and fixed John's shirt before pulling away. He then returned to Moriarty and spoke. "I have to grab clothes. Then we'll go." He turned quickly on the heels of his feet and scurried off to his bedroom. Sherlock was all over the place and he needed just a few things for a few nights. He'd be back before that because of the case and he couldn't stay away from John that long.

John stood in the doorway and didn't bother asking why he needed clothes. He chalked it up to Sherlock keeping an eye on Jim.

Once Sherlock was out of the room, Moriarty took it upon himself to focus his attention on John. "That hold you have on Sherlock is poking at my interest. Tell me, you want him?"

John felt his cheeks grow warm and he looked off to the side. "I'm not gay."

Moriarty laughed and moved over to the chair he sat in the last time he was there. "I didn't say you were…and wanting him doesn't make you gay." He commented, crossing his legs. "Besides, wanting and actually having will be hard for you. You can want but you can't have. He's mine and needless to say, you can't do anything about that." He glanced over to John and smiled.

John narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me?"


End file.
